Ana Fonseca
Born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1978, Ana Fonseca currently lives and works in Lisbon. In 2003 she graduated in London from Middlesex University and lived in this city for seven years.
In 2007 she returns to Lisbon where she has been developing artistic projects. In 2008 she joined the collective Laboratório (a collective of independent artists that organise site-specific projects) and the association Artinpark (association of artists and designers in Lisbon), of which she is part of the governing bodies. In 2009 she developed the project "Put your thinking helmet on". In 2010 she developed curatorial projects and personal projects, namely the Laboratório Collective exhibition at the Ricardo Espírito Santo Foundation and the project "...and then again..." at Pavilhão Preto, Museu da Cidade. Her practice is multi-disciplinary, having drawing as its starting point, formalising itself in the most different areas such as photography, sculpture, installation, video and performance.
The different projects developed by Ana Fonseca are part of a matrix, a timeline where all the events, facts and family stories have influenced her life. Divided into "BAF" (before Ana Fonseca) and "AAF" (after Ana Fonseca) over this matrix, Ana Fonseca addresses the sociological, psychological and historical paradigms that marked or mark the places where she has been (Brazil, Portugal and England) interconnecting them at the same time in an anachronic way. Humour is evident in all of Ana Fonseca's works and this is a communication strategy that seeks to create empathy with the public.
Her creative process gives great emphasis to research. This concern of almost obsession is illustrated in her work through a careful choice of materials, objects and images, creating a system of representation with different levels of interpretation.
She has participated in several group exhibitions: "15 years, 15 artists" - Gad Gallery, Antiques design , Lisbon (2011); "Welcome Lab" - City Museum - Black Pavilion and "...and then again..." - Artistic project and curator (2010); Vestígio, Pavilhão 28 - Hospital Júlio de Matos, Lisbon (2009); Laboratório Afectos, Quinta das Lágrimas, Coimbra (2008); CABINET D'AMATEUR II Ou A Arte Como Modo De Vida, 04 November 06_13 January 07, Galeria Luís Serpa Projectos, Lisbon and ACCROCHAGE 01/06_Nova Geração, Galeria Luis Serpa Projectos, Lisbon; I CAN C MY WAY HOME, Spacex Gallery, Exeter UK. Participation as a guest artist by Michael Curran and Taric Alvi (2004); and solo exhibitions: Almack's#1, Ermida de Belém, Lisbon (2011); "Put your thinking helmet on", Spazio Dual, Lisbon (2009); Pega Doméstica II, Centro Cultural do Cartaxo, Cartaxo (2008); I.N.S.U.R.G.E.N.C.Y., Galeria Luis Serpa Projectos, Lisbon (2007).
